Combined maternity support and garter belt



Nov. 19, 1968 N. A. MARINO COMBINED MATERNITY SUPPORT AND GARTER BELTFiled Nov. 4, 1966 v -/N vE/vr /e Nl'c/zolczs' A. Manna v /W-M-'OIUnited States Patent COMBINED My invention relates in general to a typeof garment designed primarily to be worn by women in an advanced stage'of pregnancy and performing a plurality of functions, viz, to providesupport for the lower part of the pendulous .abdomen and also for thehose.

Various attempts have been made in the past to provide satisfactorygarments of this character, such as Blatt Patent No. 2,710,486 andothers. Such art, as exemplified in the aforesaid Blatt patent, suggestsa belt including a relatively narrow band positioned exclusively beneaththe abdomen of the wearer in effective upward supporting engagementtherewith together with garter attachments.

As a result of my extensive studies of this problem, I find that a womanin this condition requires support beyond that proposed by Blatt. Withsupport disposed exclusively below the abdomen, the latter in pendulouscondition is likely to overhang such a narrow band, which will have atendency to cut into the soft body tissues, resulting in considerablediscomfort to the wearer. The more advanced the stage of pregnancy, themore uncomfortable the garment is likely to be.

After considerable study, I have evolved a garment of the characterreferred to which I consider a marked improvement over those previouslyknown. In accordance with my invention, I provide a belt carrying aplurality of longitudinally elastic bands of substantial width crossedin X-formation over the lower abdomen and extending downwardly andforwardly from positions of attachment to the belt over each of thethighs, adjacent an extreme upper side portion thereof and below thewaist, to a median point of the front of each upper thigh at a height.approximately on a level with the pubic area. Said bands cross eachother slightly above the pubic region and are attached as by stitchingat each end to garter straps also carried by the belt.

Thus, the aforesaid bands apply gentle supporting pressure to the lowerabdomen distributed over an area of the lower front portion thereof,extending diagonally upwardly from the front-upper thighs over the lowerabdomen to the hips adjacent the hip joints. This arrangement results ingreatly increased comfort to the wearer.

Incidental to my invention, the abdomen-supporting bands cross eachother and are preferably stitched together at a point directly above thepubic area, resulting in increased firm support at this point and addedcomfort.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the appendeddrawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a garment embodying my inventionas seen on the human figure,

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view, also as seen on the human figure, and

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the same.

The numeral representsa. garment embodying my invention and including awaistband or belt portion 12 which is relatively narrow andlongitudinally elastic. Said belt may be provided with suitable meansfor adjusting the length thereof to fit the girth of the wearer, such assuitable buckles 13, 13, through which the waistband is fed to form aloop portion 15.

The belt 12 extends across the back of the waist and forwardly anddownwardly to provide garter straps 1 8, 18. (FIG. 2.)

The garter strap portions 18, 18 extend over the upper extremities ofthe hip, adjacent the hip joint, and thence forwardly and downwardlyover the front-upper thigh, as seen clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Rear garter straps 23, 23 .are attached to belt 12 as by stitching 'atpoints 25, 25, adjacent the hip joint.

For abdominal support I provide a pair of longitudinally elastic bands30, 30 which cross each other in X- formation at an .angle of about toform a diamondshaped area 32 positioned slightly above the pubic region,the bands 30 being preferably stitched together as at S, S. It will benoted that bands 30, 30 are of substantially greater Width than thewaistband and garter straps, being preferably at least twice theirwidth. At their upper extremities said abdominal bands 30, 30 areattached as by stitching to garter straps 18 and 23 approximately attheir juncture point 25, while the lower extremity of each of saidabdominal bands is attached as by stitching to garter straps 18, 18, theabdominal bands joining the garter straps approximately at a right angletherewith, as seen clearly in FIG. 1, and at a level approximately thatof the pubic region, as seen in FIG. 1. Each band 30 may be stitched .atthe lower end to a garter strap 18 as at 26, to form an approximateright angle therewith, and at its upper end to the other garter strap18, as at 27.

The bands 30, 30 are preferably lined in felt or the like for addedcomfort. 1

It will be seen that I have provided a vastly improved abdominalsupporter for pregnant females. The crossed bands 30, 30 distribute firmbut yielding support over a region from the front-upper thighs andextending diago nally upwardly to the upper extremities of the sideportions of the thighs to points adjacent the hip joints and crossingthe lower pelvic region above the pubic area. The crossing of the bandsat this point provides increased support by reason of their beingstitched together to form the diamond-shaped area 32. Thus, the latterprovides greater resistance to stretching than other portions of bands30.

It will also be noted that the garter straps contribute substantially tothe efficient functioning of the abdominal support by exerting yieldingdownward tension because of their attachment to the hose.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to belimited to the specific embodiments shown and described or usesmentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of myinvention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination body-supporting garment and hose supporter, comprising,

(a) a longitudinally elastic waistband,

(b) a first pair of elastic garter-supporting straps extending forwardlyand downwardly in continuation of said waistband and adapted to engagethe hose adjacent the front median portion of the wearers thighs,

(c) a second pair of elastic garter-supporting straps secured to saidfirst pair generally over the wearers hip joint, adjacent the side-upperthigh and at a height intermediate the wearers waist and crotch, and

(d) a pair of longitudinally elastic bands of substantial width adaptedto extend over the lower abdomen for supporting the latter, said bandsbeing in X-forrn-ation and each of said bands being secured at its upperend to one each of said first and second pairs of garter straps adjacenttheir juncture point and secured at its lower end to one of said firstpair on the opposite side of the wearers body from said upper end.

2. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said bands are stitched to eachother at their crossing zone to provide a 3 double thickness of fabricdisposed immediately above the wearers pubic area for providing addedabdominal support at said crossing zone.

3. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said bands cross each otherslightly above the pubic area at an angle of about 120.

4. A combination as in claim 3, wherein said bands are stitched togetherat their zone of crossing to form a reinforced, generally diamond-shapedarea of less elasticity than the major portion of said bands, so as toprovide increased abdominal support at said area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,033,957 7/1912 Shultz 128-5792,710,486 6/1955 Blatt 128579 3,130,731. 4/ 1964 Zdan 1'28-'579 ADELE M.EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. A COMBINATION BODY-SUPPORTING GARMENT AND HOSE SUPPORTER, COMPRISING,(A) A LONGITUDINALLY ELASTIC WAISTBAND, (B) A FIRST PAIR OF ELASTICGARTER-SUPPORTING STRAPS EXTENDING FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCONTINUATION OF SAID WAISTBAND AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE HOSE ADJACENTTHE FRONT MEDIAN PORTION OF THE WEARER''S THIGS, (C) A SECOND PAIR OFELASTIC GARTER-SUPPORTING STRAPS SECURED TO SAID FIRST PAIR GENERALLYOVER THE WEARER''S HIP JOINT, ADJACENT THE SIDE-UPPER THIGH AND AT AHEIGHT INTERMEDIATE THE WEARER''S WAIST AND CROTCH, AND